Looking for ORA Mandarins

HI all!
Do any of you know who carries the tank bred ORA Mandarin Dragonets? I am ready to add one to my reef now, and I'm not sure who stocks them.

any good LFS will be able to order one for you.

Ah! Good to know! Thank ya ma'am! :)

just so you know I've been hearing through the grapevine that while the ORA mandarins are being kept with success I hear they are small when you order them and still people are having issues with getting them to except mysis,brine etc so you might want to add some pods to your system before you order. you can get pods in a bottle and keep them in the fridge and use them as need to replenish the tank just make sure you turn the bottle atleast once a day to keep the pods suspended otherwise they will die or do what I do and dump the whole bottle in:) lol I'm typing in the dark I hope this makes sence he he

How do you know when you need to replenish

if you have a good population of copepods you will see them on the glass usually when the light 1st comes on that's a good indication there tons living on the live rock when you start seeing less on the glass is when I add pods or just get in the habit of adding them monthly what ever works for you, Mandarins can wipe out a pod population very quickly that's why its recommended not keeping more then one in a smallish tank like a 55G

Midwest Reefs in north Kansas city , they are the best LFS ive found anywhere in K.C..
might be a drive for you but these guys will hook you up !

Thanks Cwhip! Will it be safe to get a Mandarin now since I've gotten a Scooter Blenny? My pod population is crazy! LOL! I will be ordering some pods from Reef Cleaners in the next week just to make sure I have a good population continuing in there. The pods are hanging out on the glass even when the lights are on...they're everywhere!!! Hehehehehe!

StrongArm... where in NKC is this place? Is it on N Cherry by chance or North Oak some where? I want to check this place out!!! Thanks! :)

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1635+96&pcatid=96they should be fine together http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1635+1723&pcatid=1723

Cool! Thanks WW!

Np http://www.coralmagazineus.com/ they had a really good article last issue on dragonets and such the Nov Dec one very detailed

Compatibility Chart has the scooter blenny and mandarin in the same tank listed as caution , it's not that they can't co exist it's more about competition for food they are both peaceful fish. your tank has been up for awhile I'd say go for it, I love Live Aquaria but the 30G tank minimum is just a guideline the larger the tank the more the pods and the easier it is to sustain this particular fish. I love Mandarins they are the hummingbirds of the fish world all they do is eat. I have never been able to keep one much longer then a year even in a large tank but I also never bought one from ORA they didn't have these back then.
I'm not trying to discourage you just trying to let you know these guys can be very difficult, and they say sea horses are hard? pods are funny things too they seem to have a life cycle because one day they will be everywhere then suddenly there gone then as suddenly as they disappeared there back again.
who knows you might end up the Mandarin lady:)
this was my Manny he lived the longest of all the Mandarins I've had then one day he disapeared never to be seen again.

Midwest Reefs
9580 N. McGee st.
K.C. Mo, 64155

(816) 452-5254

Some times you can get lucky and the pet stores will have them eating prepared foods when you purchase, just ask the employee if it is eating frozen or not. If they say yes then ask them to feed it before you buy it. Mine did not eat frozen at first then about 5 months into having him i noticed he began to eat when i fed everyone else. The other thing with the pods i would suggest is if you have a fuge area in your sump(if you are running a sump) i would add half the bottle there and the other half to the dt. Mine thrive in chaeto and reproduce like crazy in my sump. And threw the water column they end up in the tank. They are beautiful fish and its funny Cindy referred to them as hummingbirds, thats exactly how i refer to mine. Good luck